Hand-knit Gift #2

As I mentioned earlier, I've been trying to make a few gifts for Christmas.  I knit this hat last week. It only took me two days to complete but one could easily make it in a day.  And don't let the leaf pattern intimidate you, it's actually pretty easy to knit. I was even able to watch T.V. while knitting this.  That's the true test of a simple pattern.

This hat is knit on size 10 needles with bulky yarn.  If you look at the original pattern, you'll notice that there's a larger ribbed band at the bottom.  I had to adjust this since I used size 10 1/2 needles. 

The pattern for the hat was designed by Deniza Bakalova and is called Autumn Leaves Hat.  You can get the pattern for free on Ravelry. 

The Knit Wig

You know what feels great?  Checking off an item you have on your Pinterest board as done. I've been wanting to make this wig ever since I saw it on Knitty.  Well, I finally found the time plus reason (Halloween) to knit it.  And now that I've checked it off the to-do list, I'll be moving on to this butterfly costume.  Wish me luck.

For those wondering, the wig is pretty easy to knit.  I would say it's just a little more complicated than a hat.

Are any of you making costumes?   Please share.  You might inspire someone!

Missoni Inspired Chevron Knitting Pattern

Yep, that's me wearing one of the Missoni sweaters from Target. Just to get everyone up to speed, Missoni created a line for Target. It was available for purchase September 13th, sold out the same day, and caused a little bit of craziness. But that's not really what this post is about so lets move on, shall we. When I was examining the sweater, I noticed that the chevron pattern was very similar to a blanket pattern from one of my very first knitting books. Now I know some of you are going to ask what the name of the book is and I don't really know (embarrassing). All I have left of it are loose pages (from wear) and no cover. All I know is the book is from the 70's and my Grandma gave it to me.

I decided to alter the chevron pattern from the book and make it similar to the pattern in my sweater. Use this pattern to make whatever you want. With the right choice of yarn, I think it would make one fabulous scarf.

Close Up of Missoni Sweater

Missoni Inspired Chevron Pattern

No Gauge

Cast on 44 sts

Row 1 - 3: K across
Row 4: k1, k 2 tog, k8, yo, k1, yo, k8, (k 2 tog) twice, k8, yo, k1, yo, k8, k 2 tog, k1
Row 5: P across

Repeat rows 4 & 5 to desired length

* To make stripes, add a new color on even rows. For a scarf, knit pattern to desired length, K across the last three rows and bind off.

Knit sample from above pattern.

On a side note, I've got to give props to all you fashion bloggers who take pictures of yourselves. I had so much trouble holding the camera at the right angle and not moving it. I think I took about 30 pictures just to get a decent shot. In most of the pictures I was either blurry, looked mad or part of me was chopped off. I almost wish I saved them, would have made one hilarious post!

Pretty in Pink Child Scarf

My daughter was sick today so it was a lazy Sunday for me. It mostly consisted of watching movies, taking care of a sick child and knitting in-between that. My knitting project was a child scarf that I decided to create on a whim . I enjoy making kid scarves because they knit up quickly due to their size. Also, they're generally more bright and cheerful which just makes them fun. Usually I gravitate towards more neutral colors but when designing for a child, anything goes. I find myself saying,

pink and red? why not

fringe? sure

pockets? they do come in handy

applique? the more the better

And so with that line of thought this scarf was born. Simple knitting pattern below.


Supplies:

US Size 10 1/2 knitting needles
US Size 6 knitting needles

Dark Pink, Light Pink and Red 100% cotton 4-ply yarn

Tapestry needle

Scraps of Fabric

No-sew, iron-on adhesive

Child Scarf Pattern

Using the 10 1/2 needles cast on 12 stitches with all three yarns combined.

Row 1: (k1, p1) all the way across
Row 2: (k1, p1) all the way across

trim red yarn, you will now be knitting with just the pink yarns

continue the the k1, p1 rib stitch to desired length of scarf.

For the last two rows add red yarn again and knit two more rows of k1 p1 rib stitch

Bind off.

Add fringe using all three yarns.

Weave in any loose ends.

Pockets

Using size 6 needles cast on 12 stitches with red yarn only. Leave a long tail that will be used to sew the pocket onto the scarf.

Row 1: Knit across
Row 2: Pearl across
Rows (3-14) repeat rows 1 and 2
Row 15: k2tog, knit across to last two stitches, k2tog
Row 16: Purl across
Row 17: k2tog, knit across to last two stitches, k2tog
Row 18: Purl bind off

Make 2 pockets

Hand stitch both pockets onto scarf .

Adhere fabric scraps to adhesive paper. Place fabric with adhesive on pockets and iron to adhere. There should be directions with your adhesive paper on how to do this.

Hopefully these directions are clear. I'm a little rusty writing patterns and realized I've forgotten some of the jargon. If you have questions, leave them in the comments. I'll do my best to answer questions.

*This scarf was made for a 4 year old child. You might want to increase the width of the scarf by 2 or 4 stitches depending on the size of the child.

Knitting Cupcakes

Last weekend my daughter was invited to a birthday party so I decided to knit up some cupcakes for the present. Unfortunately with that nasty flu I had last week, I only managed to knit up one. Which is probably for the better anyways because as soon as my daughter saw the cupcake she claimed it as her own. In fact, when I was knitting the cupcake liner, the cupcake mysteriously disappeared along with my bag of poly-fil (later to be found in her play kitchen). I don't know what she was doing with the poly-fil but it was everywhere. It looked like a blanket of clouds touched down in her play area. And, I'm still missing a knitting needle!

I found this free cupcake pattern over at Bee Knits. It's two pieces, a cupcake and a cupcake liner.

What I'm Knitting

My Sister in Law just had her first baby so I knit up this hat/baby booties set for her. Baby hats and booties are one of my favorite things to knit. They're easy to make and require little time commitment (my favorite kind of projects).

The pattern I used for the baby booties is from the book "Knitting Pretty" by Kris Percival. It's one of my favorite patterns.

As for the hat, I used this pattern omitting the eyelets. I thought it needed a little something extra so I added some curly ribbon on top.

My daughter knew I was making something for the baby so she wanted to make something for the baby as well. I suggested she make a card. That's a picture of the card with her trademark "smiley face" which always has a giant belly button underneath the mouth. Cracks me up every time.

Last, I wrapped the gift and used one of Amy Karol's gift tags. Now, if she would just make one that read " I spent all my extra time making this so if you don't like it let me know, I'll buy you something instead". Tell me I'm not the only one that feels this way?

Knitting Pattern: Owl Softie

I discovered the knitting pattern for this owl from the blog, "Sew I DO" by Novita. It's a wonderful sewing blog and definitely worth checking out. The actual owl pattern is by Lucinda Guy and is called Snoozing Ned. It's a very simple knitting pattern and knits up pretty quick. The most time consuming part is cutting and sewing all the pieces together. I liked how Novita changed up the look of the owl by using a print fabric with buttons and so I decided to do the same. I'm really happy with the way he came out. In fact, I'm already contemplating making a girl version.

Knit Cap for a Ponytail

As promised, I said I would write a post inspired by this tweet.

Why are there no fitted caps with a hole in the back for longer hair? What am I supposed to do with it? Debra Roby

Well I'm not sure if Debra was referring to a knitted hat but that's what I thought of when I read this. I've seen holes for ponytails on baseball caps, bike helmets and even batting helmets. So it only made perfect since to have a ponytail hole for a knitted hat, right? Are you with me? So I gave it a try and it works and looks good! My only regret is that I cut my hair and can't rock one these hats myself (poor me).

So here's the how to. You can make this with any knit/crochet hat pattern that has a seam to sew up in the back. Sew your seam about half way down, leave open a 2 inch hole, sew the rest of the seam to the base of the hat. That's it.

Thanks for the idea Debra!

Mobius Scarf

Yesterday I spent the day knitting up this mobius scarf. I made it out of 100% silk yarn. I'm not sure if I like the width and length of it yet, it looks a little wimpy to me. I decided not to share the pattern since I'm not sure if I like it. However, I thought I would do a little round up of some of the mobius scarves on the web.

Autumn Rainbow Mobius - this has to be the best one I've seen so far. I like the shape and colors.

Crocheted Mobius Scarf Pattern

Mobius Scarf using Circular Needles

Mobius Strip Scarf Pattern

*If you know of any good mobius patterns, please share in the comments for everyone.

Knitting Pattern: American Girl Doll Hat

A few posts back I had shared about some accessories I knit up for my little sister's American Girl Doll (click here for post). Well they just received the hat and the good news is, it fits! I'm told it's a little loose but will not fall off the doll if you turn it upside down. The length of the hat is perfect; it's not covering the eyes.

Directions below. Sorry, there's no gauge for this pattern.

Supplies

US size 6 knitting needles
100% Acrylic 4 ply yarn

American Girl Doll Hat Knitting Pattern

Cast on 60 stitches

Row1: K2 P1 to the end of row

Row2: K1 P2 to the end of row

Row3: K2 P1 to the end of row

Row4: K1 P2 to the end of row

Row5: K across

Row6: P across

*repeat rows 5 and 6 until piece measures 3 1/4 inches.

starting on a right side K2Tog, K1 all the way across
P across on all the wrong sides
*do this until you have 8 stitches left
*for some rows you will end up with an extra stitch, just knit that one.

Once you have 8 stitches left, cut the yarn long enough for sewing the seam. Thread the yarn through each 8 stitches while taking them off the needle. Pull tight to cinch them together. Sew the hat closed with a tapestry needle. Sew pom pom on top. Done.

Craft Project: Heart Shaped Pom Pom

Embellish gifts, hats, scarves, or whatever else you can think of with these adorable heart shaped pom poms. Simple directions below.

Supplies
Scissors
Yarn

Wrap yarn around fingers (at least 50 times). The more yarn the better.

Slip the yarn off your fingers. Tie a separate strand of yarn around the center of the ball of yarn (refer to dotted yellow lines). Make sure to tie the knot as tight as you can, cinching the yarn.

Cut all the loops of yarn with a pair of scissors.

Trim the yarn down to a regular shaped pom pom. Then, just trim the pom pom into a shape of a heart. Done.

Knitting for The American Girl Doll

Have you ever seen these American Girl Dolls before? Well, my little sister has one so I decided to knit up some accessories for the doll. I found a decent amount of patterns on Ravelry and Knitting Pattern Central for accessories/clothing for the doll. Below are a few pictures of accessories I knit.

If anyone knows of any sites for free knitting patterns for these dolls, please share in the comments for the rest of us. Thanks.

I decided to make my own hat pattern for the doll. Once I find out that the hat fits the doll well, I'll share the pattern. Keeping my fingers crossed.

I found the pattern for these cute little mittens at My Mom Knits. I'm going to make some of the mittens for Christmas ornaments next year as well.

I decided to make a matching scarf as well. There was no pattern for this one either.

Chunky Cable Knit Scarf

Now that the cold weather is approaching, I've been in a knitting mood. I discovered this lovely scarf at FrankenSkein. The actual pattern for the scarf can be found at Stitch DC Blog. I knit this scarf up in one day! If you've never tried cable knit before, this would be a great project to learn from. I think you might be surprised how easy it is.

On a side note, I think my neighbors must think I'm crazy. My neighbor was out cutting the hedges when she saw me wrapping a scarf around the fence and taking pictures of it. I also wrapped it around a tree to take pictures. And you can bet this wasn't the first time. Perhaps if they knew I blogged it wouldn't come across as so odd. But, I'm not giving out that information. I'm fine with being the strange neighbor in their eyes.


sad attempt #1 - taking a picture of myself wearing the scarf. I kind of look like a mannequin in this picture because it's so blurry.

sad attempt #2 - proof that this is in fact me and not a mannequin, not the most flattering shot either

Knit Transformer Washcloth

Transformers are all the buzz at our house right now. We're planning a Transformer Birthday Party for my soon to be 5 year old. In the midst of searching for ideas I found this pattern for a Transformer washcloth here. Tested it out and it looks just like the autobot logo. I can envision the squares used to make a blanket. Just a thought.

*row 25 has a misprint in the pattern, should be:MB4, K3, P5, K5, P1, K2, P3, K2, P1, K5, P5, K3, MB4.

Knit Fireman Hat and Booties

I knit this hat/booties set for a baby shower. The Father of the baby is a Fireman, hence the theme. I used the booties pattern from the book "Knitting Pretty" by Kris Percival and omitted the eyelets. For the hat I used the pattern here. I also left out the eyelets and used cotton yarn instead for the hat pattern. It would be fun to make other themed sets like a nurse, or police officer. The possibilities are endless.

Make Believe Crown and Ring

The other day my son said to me, "you're always knitting things for other people and nothing for me." Talk about making me feel guilty because his statement was true after all. I'm usually busy knitting up gifts for other people. So I had to come up with something a boy would like. So there you have it, the crown and ring idea. Directions are below if you want to make one.

Supplies
Size US 8 needles
Size US 5 needles
tapestry needle
acrylic/lurex blend yarn

81 stitches = 16 1/2"

Crown Pattern
With US 8 needles cast on 2 stitches
Row 1: K2
Row 2 - 10: yo, knit to end
break yarn and leave stitches on the needle

Repeat this two more times, you will have 3 points (33 stitches)

For the center point
Cast on two stitches
Row 1: K2
Row 2-14: yo, knit to end
break yarn and leave stitches on the needle

Make three more points like the first three you knit
You should now have 81 stitches on your needle

Knit across all 81 stitches to join all the points together
Knit 6 more rows of garter stitch
Bind off

Bobbles
Using size US 5 needles and red yarn cast on one stitch
Row1: Knit in the front, back, front, back and front of the stitch. You should now have 5 stitches on your needle
Knit 4 rows of garter stitch
With LH needle, lift 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th sts over the first stitch. You now have made a bobble.
make two more bobbles

Finishing
Weave in all loose threads on the back side of crown.
With a tapestry needle sew on the three bobbles (refer to picture).
Sew both ends of the piece together to make the crown shape, done

* This crown fit my 4 1/2 year old just fine.
* To make the crown bigger or smaller you can make the points bigger/smaller or you can add/subtract more points.

Here's the knit ring I mentioned in the title. I like this better than most play rings because it will stay on little fingers. It also requires the smallest amount of yarn and it's quick to knit. What more could you ask for. Directions below.

Supplies
US 5 needles
Tapestry needle
gold and red acrylic/lurex blend yarn

*no gauge

Cast on 3 stitches with gold yarn.
garter stitch till desired length (a little shorter than the circumference of the child's finger)
bind off

Make one bobble with red yarn (refer to directions above)

Finishing
Sew bobble to center of ring, weave in loose ends.
With tapestry needle sew the two ends of the piece together to make the ring. Done!

Knit Easter Bonnet

Here's another hoodie/bonnet inspired by the Lion's Brand Pattern. Directions below if you would like to make one.

Supplies
Size 8 needles
100% cotton 4 ply yarn

SK2P - Slip 1, knit 2 together, pass slip stitch over k2tog.

*Directions are designed to fit a 2 year old.
1. Cast on 73 stitches with green yarn
2. Purl across entire row

switch yarn to pink

3. K1, *yo, k1, SK2P, k1, yo, k1; repeat from * to end
4. Repeat rows 2 and 3 until piece measures 8 inches. (use same color yarn for the following rows).

Finishing
With right sides facing together, 3 needle bind off
Weave in loose ends

Ties
Cut 6 strands of yarn 30 in long each.
Divide into two groups.
On the bottom corner of the bonnet thread the three strands. Braid till piece measures 10 inches, knot, trim. Repeat on opposite side.

* rows 2 and 3 are a quill eyelet pattern ( multiple of 6 sts plus 1)

Bunny Egg Cozy

Bunny Egg Cozy Pattern

Supplies:
Size 3 knitting needles
100% cotton 4 ply yarn in cream and pink
sewing needle

Body

1. Cast on 28 stitches with cream yarn
2 Knit stock knit stitch (knit one row, purl one row) till piece measures 1 inch ending on a purl
row.
3. *K2Tog, K 4 from * repeat across
4. Purl
5. *K2Tog, K 3 from * repeat across
6. Purl
7. *K2Tog, K 2 from * repeat across
8. Purl
9. K2Tog across
Break off yarn leaving a 7 inch length

Thread the 7-inch length onto a sewing needle, draw it through all stitches on the knitting needle. Pull tightly. Fold right sides together and sew seam with the 7-inch length yarn. Weave in loose ends. Turn right side out. You're basically making a little hat.

For the Ears

Cast on 3 stitches, leave a long tail to attach the ears
Knit 9 rows of rib stitch (K1, P1).
K3Tog

Make two ears and sew them on the body (refer to picture)
With pink yarn sew the face on (refer to picture)

Done

How To Make Stitch Holders

My stitch holders mysteriously disappeared(hmm...) so I had to buy some new ones. After I purchased them it occurred to me that they would be easy to make. I used craft wire purchased at Daiso to make these. It cost $1.50 for the wire and yields about 20 stitch holders. If you don't have a Daiso near you, try the hardware store. Directions Below.

Supplies: wire, needle nose pliers, wire cutters

click on the directions to get a better view

* stitch holders come in different shapes and sizes so you might want to check some out online if you've never used them before